Introduction

This is a compilation of the information I have gathered on the descendants of Alfred Brunson KEPHART. I have included a little on his forefathers, but so far have not proven any records beyond the marriage of his grandfather, Henry Kephart, Jr. in 1794 at Lancaster, PA. The information concerning Henry, Sr. and Johan Georg Kephart is probably not correct. A descendant of Alfred Kephart's uncle Conrad is also working on trying to prove the line, so maybe between the two of us we will figure it out. However, there are many, many Kepharts, Gebharts, Capeharts, some related, some not; so it is a difficult process.

My research of the KEPHART family probably began in 1976 or 1977 when I inquired of the owner of the Kephart Music Store in Decorah, IA if he had ever done any research on his Kepharts. He hadn't but his sister had, so he gave me her address. I haven't found that we are related, but I was hooked on finding out as much as I could. About a year or two later I received a manuscript of the Kephart family history and I was on my way.

That manuscript I have typed and it is the first two pages of this booklet. I made no corrections in the information, though there are some errors, but the typing errors are all mine.

Towards the back of the booklet I have included some of the Civil War records of Alfred Brunson Kephart who served in Company H, 21st Iowa Infantry regiment from 1862 to 1865. I include a map of his travels, and also a copy of a letter which he wrote to his mother - you will note that it is dated 19 April 1865, but he apparently hadn't heard the war had ended or that President Lincoln had been assassinated for he didn't mention either fact.

I have included as much information as I have on each of the children of Alfred Brunson Kephart. Please let me know of any errors or omissions. I will try to continue to collect the information which I do not have, but not everybody is as interested in it as I am so some of my requests go unanswered. To those of you who have returned the information I have asked for, I thank you. Especially helpful over the years was my dad's Aunt Mae Rost who gave me much information, loaned me pictures so I could make copies and generally encouraged me.

Verla A. Williams
4333 Pine Ridge Trail NE
Iowa City, IA 52240.

[EDITOR'S NOTE (14 Mar 2018): Carl Ingwalson's extensive research into the 21st Iowa Infantry regiment cites a letter from Marion Griffin of Epworth to his brother indicating that the regiment did not receive the "sad intelligence" of President Lincoln's assassination until the evening of April 21, 1865 which is the reason Alfred would not have mentioned it in the letter to his mother.]

Family Group Sheet for Naugle KEPHART (1798-1884)

Husband: Naugle KEPHART

Born: 1 Feb 1798
Place: Huntingdon Co., PA
Married: c. 1820
Place: PA
Died: 5 May 1884
Place: Dubuque Co., IA
Husband's Father: Henry KEPHART Jr.
Husband's Mother: Elizabeth EPLEY

Wife: Susan JONES

Born: 11 Dec 1803
Place: PA
Died: 8 Mar 1885
Place: Dubuque Co., IA
Wife's Father: Unknown
Wife’s Mother: Unknown

---

Children

1. Catherine KEPHART

Born: 8 Aug 1822
Place: Center Co., PA
Spouse: James McELHANEY
Married: Unknown
Died: 8 Oct 1916

2. Mary Ann KEPHART

Born: 22 Mar 1825
Place: Huntingdon Co., PA
Spouse: William REBMAN
Married: Feb 1847
Died: 12 Mar 1907

3. Henry KEPHART

Born: 16 Mar 1828
Place: PA
Spouse: Mary Rutherford
Married: 13 Mar 1855
Died: Unknown

4. Elizabeth KEPHART

Born: 14 Nov 1830
Place: PA
Spouse: William GLEW
Married: 17 Feb 1852
Died: 25 Jan 1911

5. Margaret KEPHART

Born: 18 Feb 1833
Place: Venango Co., PA
Spouse: George SHIRK
Married: 6 Jan 1854
Died: 13 Jun 1891

6. Sarah Hammond KEPHART

Born: 25 Jun 1836
Place: Venango Co., PA
Spouse: Francis Marion ALLEN
Married: 8 Feb 1860
Died: 25 Mar 1927

7. Milton KEPHART

Born: 1 Dec 1839
Place: Dubuque Co., IA
Spouse: Margaretha METTLER
Married: 11 Mar 1861
Died: 18 Feb 1933

8. Alfred Brunson KEPHART

Born: 25 Jul 1842
Place: Dubuque Co., IA
Spouse: Mary Brown MEYERS
Married: 26 Dec 1867
Died: 21 Dec 1921

9. Levina KEPHART

Born: 25 May 1844
Place: Dubuque Co., IA
Spouse: Robert McINTOSH
Married: Unknown
Died: c. 1875

10. Emma Francis KEPHART

Born: 14 Mar 1848
Place: Dubuque Co., IA
Spouse: William H. MEYERS
Married: 20 Apr 1865
Died: 25 Feb 1932

1850 US Federal Census: Naugle, Jacob, James, Henry, and John D. KEPHART's Families

Detail of 1850 US Federal Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Naugle Kephart 43 M
Susan Kephart 37 F
Elizabeth Kephart 20 F
Margaret Kephart 17 F
Sarah Kephart 13 F
Wilson Kephart 11 M
Alfred Kephart 9 M
Lavina Kephart 6 F
Emma Francis Kephart 3 F

Jacob Kephart 47 M
Lavina Kephart 42 F
Emma Francis Kephart 14 F
Sarah Kephart 12 F
Conrad Kephart 10 F
James Kephart 8 F

James Kephart 54 M
Rebecca Kephart 43 F [Continued on next page.]

Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: District 7, Dubuque, Iowa; Roll M432_183; Page: 79B; Image: 556.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.


1850 US Federal Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

James Kephart 21 M
Elizabeth Kephart 20 F
Martha Kephart 17 F
Pheba Kephart 15 F
Rebecca Kephart 12 F
Jacob Kephart 3 M
Conrad Kephart 1 M

Henry Kephart 38 M [Brother of Naugle]
Margaret Kephart 25 F
Wm Henry Kephart 7 M
Caleb Kephart 6 M
John E. Kephart 5 M
Essington Y. Kephart 3 M
Jacob W. Kephart 5/12 M
J. Ellen Luries 25 F
Andrew Bow 22 M

Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: District 7, Dubuque, Iowa; Roll M432_183; Page: 80A; Image: 557.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.


Detail of 1850 US Federal Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

John D. Kephart 33 M [Brother of Naugle]
Sarah Kephart 31 F
Wm E. Kephart 7 M
Jane E. Kephart 4 F
Emma Kephart 2 F
John W. Kephart 1/12 M

Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: District 7, Dubuque, Iowa; Roll M432_183; Page: 80B; Image: 558.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

1890 Veterans Schedules Record for Alfred KEPHART

1890 Veteran Schedules Record. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Kephart, Alfred D. [sic]
Rank: Private
Company: H
Regiment: 21 Iowa Inf.
Date of enlistment: 22 Aug 1862
Date of discharge: 15 Jul 1865
Length of service: 2 yrs., 10 mos., 23 days
Post Office address: Jackson, Minnesota
Disability incurred: x
Remarks: Lost his discharge papers

Source Citation: Year: 1890; Census Place: Minneota, Jackson, Minnesota; Roll 22; Page: 2; Enumeration District: 155.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1890 Veterans Schedules [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: Special Schedules of the Eleventh Census (1890) Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M123, 118 rolls); Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Family Group Sheet for George Earl KEPHART (1888-1944)

Husband: George Earl KEPHART

Born: 15 Apr 1888
Place: Jackson, MN
Married: 20 Dec 1911
Place: Jackson Co., MN
Died: 23 Jan 1944
Place: Rochester, MN
Husband's Father: Alfred Brunson KEPHART
Husband's Mother: Mary Brown MEYERS

Wife: Clara Martha ROST

Born: 24 Jul 1886
Place: Jackson, MN
Died: 6 Jun 1972
Place: Lakefield, MN
Wife's Father: Hermann ROST
Wife’s Mother: Augusta NEUMANN

---

Children

1. Alfred Richard KEPHART

Born: 27 Aug 1913
Place: Lakefield, MN
Spouse: Agnes HANSEN
Married: 12 Apr 1941
Died: 1 Jul 1993

2. Lorraine KEPHART

Born: 25 May 1916
Place: Lakefield, MN
Spouse: Joyce B. Evenson
Married: 16 Jun 1937
Died: 14 Jan 1973

Earl and Clara KEPHART's Children

Alfred and Lorraine KEPHART (c. 1916). Caption by photo: "Alfred, age 3, Lorraine, age 1." Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Earl and Clara KEPHART's Family

Earl and Clara KEPHART's Family (Date unknown). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Mae and Alfred KEPHART

Mae and Alfred KEPHART (c. 1894). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.